


Saviour in the Snow

by TennantDoctor



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: :))), Adventure, DoctorDonna, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Ten x Donna, Tenth Doctor Era, Whump, another whumpy fic from me, i love my boi being whumped, tenth doctor - Freeform, this idea hit me at whatever time in the morning and i've been writing aalll day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:27:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22349506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TennantDoctor/pseuds/TennantDoctor
Summary: The Doctor doesn't return from a mission on an alien world. Donna has to take matters into her own hands. Some Whump and general Ten/Donna foolery.
Relationships: Tenth Doctor & Donna Noble, Tenth Doctor/Donna Noble
Comments: 18
Kudos: 98





	1. Chapter 1

“What do you mean he’s _not_ here? I watched him leave through those doors with your group, why hasn’t he come back?!”

Donna’s usual fiery rage was currently proceeding normal levels. Her worry levels were also steadily increasing as the seconds ticked by.

“Don’t you _dare_ say it!”

When the Doctor had landed on Gelta’Di, promising her the views of a lifetime, Donna had not expected to be thrown into a dangerous and rather unexpected hunt for an alien invader worrying the native warriors.

Although, having thought over it whilst they’d been trekking through piles of snow and the freezing landscape, when was anything with that skinny twig ever expected?

“You left him?! Are you saying all you big bulky alien warriors ran away without thinking to go looking for the man who helped you track that alien invader thing down?!”

Having warned Donna of the cruel and selfless nature of the alien race inhabiting Gelta’Di, it was inevitable shouting would occur – Donna could not _stand_ selfishness. So when the Doctor had accepted to help track the alien invader, he had left – now hours prior – with the same group now stood before the fiery Donna.

But without the Doctor in tow.

“There was nothing we could have done,” one alien warrior spat. “If he’s dead, then he died doing the right thing.” The additional comment came with no concern or pity.

“It also saved us from his constant talking on the way back.” One warrior blurted out to Donna’s utter disgust.

“Oh... you-you bunch of alien snobs!” she shouted, gathering the attention of all the other aliens in the large room, but she couldn’t give a-

“Shifting about like your these brave and proud people, well let me tell you something, blue-eyes - you left the _one_ man who’s probably saved your lives countless times to die out there! Or has that not sunk into that thick skull of yours?”

The alien leader at the front of the group, who indeed had large, round blue eyes, stepped forward towards Donna, his armour pressing dangerously into the fluffy coat she wore.

“Like I said – the Time Lord is most likely dead, it was his choice to help us. He isn’t our problem anymore. The real threat was eliminated in the process, his sacrifice will be noted.”

Those words seemed to invade Donna's mind despite her rage begging her to yell more. The Doctor, the man she adored but would never admit it to, was possibly dead. She tried not to doubt him or his skill in defying death, which was imprinted heavily in their day to day life. 

But in that moment, most of her anger and strength melted away and a glaze mounted in her eyes. He couldn't be dead.

“If he’s dead, then let me tell you something, sunshine, you wi-“

“We have no more use for you, or your dead friend. Escort her outside before I throw her in the pits!”

Donna felt her lips curl into a snarl, about to retort to the ignorant leader for interrupting before she was grabbed harshly by the arms by two guards. Her Grandad had always told her to kick and thrash, but even that strength was now sapped.

“Oi! Get your hands _off_ me!” she yelled in defiance, trying to pull away but was firmly pushed forwards instead, the two guards leading her towards the same large doors she’d entered with the Doctor mere hours earlier. Most of the warriors turned away to follow the armoured leader, while some stared at the human being dragged away.

_"Look at this, Donna, all this hand-crafted armour. You know I'm not one for violence but this craftsmanship! Oh, look at your helmet, big fella!"_

The doors were opened, the cold still grasping Donna despite her coat as she was thrown into the snow.

_"Don't worry about me, Donna, besides - when have you known me to reject people in need? Ey? Oh come on don't give me that look, I'll be back before you can say bananas!"_

“At least tell me where you left him?!” She yelled in a desperate attempt for more information, but the large doors slammed shut to abruptly stop any more words escaping her.

_"Bye, Donna! Oi, there's no need for that gesture!"_

She was alone.

-

A groan echoed around the cave. It was short and muffled, mixing in with the ambience of dripping water and steadily falling rock dust.

A figure lay on the hard, cold ground, unmoving and only meters away from a large pile of crumbled stone. Cave-ins were usually dangerous, spur of the moment escapes.  
But this time, the Time Lord hadn’t been quick enough. 

Another groan escaped the Doctor’s lips as he began to awaken, his head light and tormented as the memories began to pile back into his expansive mind space. Forehead, nose and cheeks alike had been resting on the most uncomfortable part of the cave floor, and he opened his eyes with another groan as he felt the imprint on his skin sting.

“Donna…” 

Glancing up, of course, there was no Donna. Instead, there was darkness and only spats of light reaching down into the deep cavern. It took a few seconds for his head to stop spinning and his eyes to stop rolling but the memory finally settled.

“Right… so _that_ happened,” he muttered to himself, not surprised to see he had been left to an inevitable demise by the native warriors. He should have known – none of them had enjoyed his jokes nor his extensive listing of all the winter sports he had helped to invent on the way to stop the alien invader. 

Not even his Sontaran bar joke had gotten a chuckle.

Glancing down to the damp cave floor, the Doctor noted blood seemed to be dripping from somewhere on his face and his hand reached up shakily to rub under his nose. At the same time, he tried to get to his feet. He never liked being knocked out; too much time wasted from involuntary sleeping. 

Donna would be alone with those cruel, selfish aliens and he couldn’t leave her there any longer. 

However, only one of his long, skinny legs moved when he tried to stand and his sudden rush of energy was interrupted with an abrupt yell of pain. When the Doctor finally managed to turn and look over his shoulder, he was met with the sight of the collapsed rocks. 

His right ankle and foot were firmly underneath that said pile of collapsed rocks.

_“Everybody run!”_

__

__

_“Blow it up, Doctor, blow it up!”_

_“Trying, I need someone to help contain the force otherwise the cave will come down on top of us!”_

A grimace crossed the Doctor’s bloodied and bruised face as he thought back to his last minutes of consciousness. The creature the warriors were hunting turned out to not even be a creature as such, more a ball of energy. A ball of energy which exploded under the pressure of sonic waves. The explosion then causing the collapse of the cave. 

_“Pft, you’re on your own then!”_

__

__

_“Oi, what are you doing? Don't start running!”_

Every single one of the warriors had ran for the exit tunnel, leaving him at the back of the pack. No amount of dodging or bouncing off walls had seen him through. The last thing he recalled was falling and then everything going black shortly after a large crash of rubble rumbled through the snowy valley outside.

“Well… this isn’t the best set of circumstances, but it could be worse, I suppose,” the Doctor said to nobody but himself, glancing around the cave and sniffing in the cold air. It was still daylight, but the night would be approaching, and the temperature would drop. He needed to move, get back to Donna and get back to the TARDIS. 

He tried to pull forwards, but the sharp pain as well as the weight of the rocks on his ankle prevented him from doing so. It wasn’t until he tried wriggling his toes did he realise his ankle was more than likely broken. 

The Doctor sighed. “Scrap that… maybe these circumstances aren’t so great – oh, and would you look at this suit! Ruined.” 

Trying to take his mind from the inevitable fact he was trapped in a cave with no way of moving any of the rocks by himself, with no TARDIS, didn’t really work. Yes, his suit was ripped and bloodied, but that wasn’t exactly the worst of his problems. 

His mind turned again to Donna. He’d left her there despite her heavy protests. Very heavy protests. His best mate, the one who should have been with him by his side. His hearts were sore when he thought of what could have happened if she had come alone, yet another part of him wanted her there. 

“Oh, Donna…”

Somehow, he would have to get himself out of this. 

Donna needed him. 

-

She had to find him. She needed him. 

If the Doctor had been hurt, the only plausible place near was the TARDIS and Donna was hoping against all odds she would open those doors and find the Doctor stood at the console, unhurt and giddy as ever to move onto the next planet.

Otherwise, she would need to look for him on a planet she knew nothing about; apart from the less than friendly inhabitants and the cold climate. 

Despite trying to think positive, Donna sniffed away the tears threatening to fall from her glazed eyes. She kept thinking of what could have happened to the Doctor, trying not to think of the worst possible outcome. It wasn’t the thought of being trapped on the planet, or how she would get home. 

It was the thought of him being gone that terrified her the most.

“No, Spaceman… please don’t do this to me,” she uttered to herself, reaching up to wipe her eyes before tucking her hands back under her armpits again, trying to block out the cold.

As she struggled over a small hill, Donna suddenly noticed the chance in the snows texture beneath her thick boots. It was rugged, blotchy… large holes imprinted over a vast space. 

“Footsteps,” Donna breathed, “ _footsteps._ ” 

It hadn’t occurred to Donna the group of large, burly aliens would leave easily tracked footprints on their way back. How could she overlook such a thought?

The current snowfall was falling slow, small snowflakes turning the scenery almost fairy-tale like, but that wasn’t important to her in the slightest. It was going to buy her time, keep the footprints fresh. Whether it was luck that brought her to the footsteps or simple coincidence, Donna now had a lead. 

“If you’re not already dead, Spaceman, I swear…” she grumbled, pulling the fluffy hood firmly over her thick ginger hair and setting off on the footstep trail through the snow.  
If he was injured, time would matter. She would need to be quick but considerate. Smart but instinctive. 

Life with the Doctor had taught her that. And now she needed to use it to find him.


	2. Chapter 2

Gelta’Divians were known for their ignorant, selfish behaviour. Their attitude to life wasn’t exactly rainbows and sunshine, nor was their hospitality. It would be the last time he ever offered his help to species this side of the Adrota Galaxy.

“N-noted for n-next time…”

The Doctor never liked to admit when he was cold. A Time Lord’s body temperature was easily adjustable and controlled – better central heating, is what he said to Donna once and she had laughed and commented on his ignorant cockiness over his superior biology.

But even Time Lord’s had their limits and the temperature wasn't going to stop falling. 

He was shivering and that, in his mind, was a bad sign. A terrible sign. A _dangerous_ sign, even. 

He'd tried countless times to pull himself out but being unable to turn to reach the rocks, or use his sonic screwdriver in any sense or fashion, it all proved useless. The throbbing of his ankle caused the occasional wince and groan, only furthering the problem of his situation. It even crossed his mind to use the sonic to try and shift the rock using setting 82, but even then, the chances of causing another collapse in the cave would be high. It was better to be a trapped Time Lord than a squashed Time Lord.

So, after 1 hour, 3 minutes and 19 seconds, he was still firmly trapped.

“S-should have brought the coat…” the Doctor stated through lightly chattering teeth to nobody but himself. The dimming light through the very few cracks along with his very good sense of time told him the night was drawing close, and there was still no solid plan on how he was going to free himself. The Time Lord was used to making plans up as he went along but he couldn’t move – how could he move along? There was no way of contacting Donna to tell her where he was, nor what he could do to fix the situation. He wanted her there... he missed her.

“In here – the collapse must be further in.” 

“With two of our buildings gone it has to be an extensive collapse. The northern forces will pay for the damage caused!”

Deep, booming voices suddenly echoed through the cave and the Doctor steadily glanced up from where he lay. He considered shouting in reply but the unfriendly tone made him second guess his thought. The blue light from the sonic screwdriver was illuminating his position so he reached over with his cold fingers and fiddled with the device, trying to dim the light. However, it was inevitable they would come across him if they were heading this way. There seemed no point in attempting to dim the only light.

"If anyone is in here, present yourself!"

As the Time Lord tried to shift his cold arms into a more comfortable position, the sudden tremor from the loud voice caused one of the rocks in the large pile to slip. It shifted the entire bulk of stone, increasing the pressure on his trapped foot. The Doctor was unable to keep a yell of pain restrained.

That was one way to present himself.

"Who's in here?!" one voice called in response to the pained yell, now much closer. "This is the chief from the southern camp, make yourself known!"

No point in keeping quiet now. The Doctor, now aware it was another group of Gelta'Divians, decided asking for help wasn't the worst thing he could do. Perhaps this was his chance for aid. He would more than likely have to work some charm on the group - at least he knew not to use any of his Judoon jokes.

"Any of you fella's ever s-shifted heavy rocks before?" 

Even to him, his own voice sounded weak and feeble and he waited anxiously for a reply, trying to control his quivering jaw and the shivering from his skinny frame.

This was a different group of the native species, not the ones he had helped, so they would owe him nothing. He needed to be on his guard.

"I'm n-not a threat, I'm actually in a rather crushed-s-spot," he added, the footsteps growing ever closer until the large, bulky aliens finally appeared in the blue light of the sonic screwdriver. All five had sleek, golden spears drawn and were kitted in full armor. They must have been expecting a fight, but with what, the Doctor didn't know. They all looked similar to the group he had aided but the colouring of their armour was different - dark brown leather pads instead of overpowering grey. 

"Hello, gents - am I g-glad to see some friendly faces around here! Just between us, these cave walls aren't much for conversa-" 

"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" The leader of the group bellowed, stepping forwards with the sharp end of his weapon only inches away from the Time Lord's face. The Doctor, unable to protect himself, tried to keep his brown eyes locked onto the blue orbs that were staring down at him. His friendly approach usually always calmed tensions but it couldn't work all the time, he thought.

"Well, if I told you that the northern camp asked for my h-help to track down an alien ball of energy that, upon exploding, caused a cave-in which now has me trapped since all the strapping big fellas I came with ran off without helping me... would you b-believe me?" 

The alien cheif and the rest of the threatening group looked between one another, almost debating whether they should believe the thin man lying on the ground. 

"Honestly, it's the truth... I was just here t-to help. Now, if you wouldn't mind helping moving these rocks I need to get back to my frie-" 

"Silence!" the leader bellowed. To the Doctor's utter dismay, another creak from the rock pile echoed through the chasm and a boulder slipped from the very top. It crashed down near the leader, causing the group to jump back while also narrowly missing the Doctor's side. The Time Lord sighed in relief - or was he relieved? A simple cry for help seemed to be getting him nowhere and, at this rate, he would be crushed if he tried to reason with them any longer.

"P-please," he pleaded, now in a much softer tone, "I just need one of you to move a few rocks and I-I'll leave immediately. If this is your turf then take it up with the leader of the northern camp."

"This cave-in caused a tremor," the leader growled, restraining himself from interrupting the chatty, shivering man again, "it destroyed two of our buildings and nearly killed several of our warriors. We came in search of any culprits and we found _you_ , an outsider. If you're partly responsible for this, then the punishment of our people is _death._ Your crime is certain and we will not take into account your off-world plea."

Right. Of course it would be death. No rainbows and sunshine present. Straight to the point.

"What?" the Doctor stated, "N-now hold on a second, I never intended for the cave to collapse, I w-was only trying to h-"

A firm kick to the face stopped his plea. The large, armour-clad foot smacked violently into what felt like the entirety of his face, throwing it back and causing horrible vibrations from the impact. Within seconds, droplets of blood escaped from the Doctor's nose and, with no strength to keep his posture defensive, let his whole upper body collapse from the impact of the kick, his face buried in rubble and his breathing raw. 

Selfish, ignorant - now he could add violent to his ever-growing negative list.

"You have no say in this!" the leader declared. None of them took pity on the trapped man, nor had they listened to any of his pleas. The Doctor managed to keep one eye feebly looking up, the figures now blurred in the blue light as he tried to retain some of his dwindling focus. 

"You... you c-cant do this," the Time Lord wheezed, unable to keep his jaw tremors at bay from the cold and pain, "I h-have r-rights, under the juri... jurisdiction of the Shadow Procla-AH!" 

Another kick. This time, his ear caught the brunt force. 

"What should we do with him? A quick death would perhaps be more efficient... it would shut him up quicker," one of the group suggested while another shook his head, ignoring the Time Lords wheezes and groans of discomfort. 

"Maybe we should leave him to starve... he already appears to be near it." 

"Silence - you all know the law. We came here to find the one guilty of the collapse and we found _him_. I carried out the sentence, it is I who follows through with it," the leader confided, "if the northern clan finds him, they will heed our warning. If what he says is even true." 

For the second time that day, the Doctor had no plan. He couldn't run or even move. He couldn't plea for his life. He couldn't even use his most entrusted tool. 

He couldn't save himself. And his hearts were now pumping with fear. Not just for himself.

But for Donna.

"S-stop this..." the Doctor panted, trying to lift himself up even slightly to give himself some authority. His arms shook with the effort and more blood trickled from both his nose and ear, his right eye already beginning to swell. In response, the leader begrudgingly took a step forwards and slammed his foot into the Time Lords stomach. Doubling over to protect himself wasn't even an option with his trapped ankle, and the breath he had left to plead with was taken away. 

"What is your name?" 

No breath? No answer.

"Speak!" 

It was the only power the Doctor had now and with all his might he kept silent for once. Oh, he kept silent. He would never resort to violence, even if in his current position didn't quite allow it. He still had the power of silence despite just how very weak he was growing. 

"Speak your _name!_ "

His eyes front and center, his breathing shallow and pained, the Doctor still kept quiet. The angry Gelta'Divian growled. 

"Have it over and done with, we didn't even expect to find anyone so quickly - we can return to the safety of our people before the night draws heavier," the shortest member of the group chipped in. 

The chief nodded in agreement before turning his attention back to the Doctor, raising his spear threateningly. "No respect will be given to you in death. Despite your crime, you have chosen to dishonour us further. Speak no more, criminal, for this is your final-" 

"And just what do you big alien _bullies_ think you're doing?!"

That voice... the Doctor knew that voice. That brilliantly loud and threatening voice. 

"Put those alien spear things down before I shove them somewhere I doubt even torchlight would help!" 

The footsteps were growing closer and also more furious, each of the warriors turning their heads in bemusement at this sudden addition. The leader didn't retract his raised weapon and kept himself firmly rooted next to the injured Time Lord. 

"Who are you, female?" the smallest of the group questioned, turning to face the woman who entered the blue light standing tall. Despite being barely able to hold his head up for more than a second or two, the Doctor's blurred vision focused on the familiar figure. 

"Who am I? That's not important right now, what's important is _you_ lot ganging up on someone who can't even defend themselves from your brutality, that's what!" 

Even if the group of alien warriors were dangerous, a threat, the Doctor didn't concern himself over Donna's safety. 

He was concerned for _them_.

"You have no authority here," the chief remarked, his blue eyes unmoving from Donna's stern features, "this is our planet, our laws, your association with this criminal means nothing to us."

"Who cares about authority? What I care about is your stupid, feckless decision to attack someone who potentially saved your lives! Or the whole planet for that matter! He's no criminal - he's the Doctor." 

The last part was uttered through gritted teeth. Donna had never felt so angry and so worried - the moment she had saw the group entering the cave, she knew there would be trouble. But she hadn't expected this much trouble. Not to walk into a murder. 

And she'd be damned if she wasn't going to save her best friend anyway she could. 

"The Doctor? What is the importance of that matt-" 

"Oh shut it, you overgrown melon! This man has probably saved your lives, your clans or whatever you want to call them, countless times. You waltz in here without giving him a fair chance? Without hearing him out? Without helping him?! That's a big no-no in my books, sunshine, and I'm sure the intergalactic space-police would love to hear what I have to say when I tell them you attacked a helpless man after he saved your lives!" 

Through her anger, Donna didn't quite know if she was making much sense to the alien individuals. But what mattered was ferocity. The alien group were already starting to look more solemn with each word she spoke and eventually, even the leader lowered his weapon. 

"Now I suggest you all turn around, walk back out of this cave and take it up with some bugger-else who you actually have beef with! Not this man - not today. _Not ever._ " 

Her voice shook - she was worried for the Doctor. Every now and then, her eyes directed from the group of aliens to his bruised and battered frame only meters away from her. It wasn't hard for her to see how injured he was, nor was she sure she had ever seen him in such a state before. 

"Do I make myself clear? Or do I have to repeat myself? You should know I don't often like repeating myself - so get out and go bully someone else and leave me to help the man you should be thanking!" Donna boomed, taking one firm step forwards while her green eyes surveyed the leader up and down, not bothering to address his now silent followers. 

It was very clear the alien was furious. With a weapon that size and a body that strong, he could attack and it would be the end of them both. But no fear radiated from her strong stance. 

Finally, the leader turned and lowered his weapon beside him. 

"We leave - now." 

"But we will fail to bring justice to the collapse of ou-" 

"We leave!"

Those words. It was all she needed to hear. She tried to hide the relief and the sag of her shoulders as they began to walk away, trudging past her in complete silence with only the clinking of their armour echoing in the enclosed space. The chief glared at Donna for a split second as he approached and she reminded him sternly of her fury by simply bypassing him without a single spark of acknowledgement. By the time she looked behind her, only their shadows remained in the growing darkness until they also cleared the stone walls. 

Anger now fading, worry replacing it, she diverted her full attention to the Doctor. 

Who had gone completely still. 

"Doctor?" she breathed heavily. 

Nothing. 

"Oh God... Spaceman..." 

Donna was by the Doctor's side instantly, falling to her knees where she was finally able to see the damage for herself; the small pool of blood, the ragged and torn suit, the leg that disappeared into the large mountain of rocks and the harsh, raw breathing. He was alive but Donna was unable to tell what factor had caused him to obviously pass out. She had heard the brutal beating as she had entered the cave, his jumbled pleads for his life. The cold was also hard to ignore and she reached down to take his hand, his cold skin almost burning her own. 

But despite what she was seeing now, the relief of finding him _alive_ was overwhelming. A single tear dripped from Donna's right eye.

Her other hand drew the spiky hair away from his face, her fingers gently stroking through it to try and give him some comfort despite his unconscious state. Her voice reverberated in a greater softness than the anger that had filled the silence only minutes before and she uttered only a few calming words.

"It's okay, Spaceman... you're okay now... I'm gonna help you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, hope ya'll enjoyed Donna being a BAD-ASS BABE. More coming soon!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait getting this chapter out, my Tentoo urges were veeeeery strong so there's two soft af Tentoo fics now sitting in my profile, despite this fic being out first. I know, I'm terrible!

It was cold - but there was warmth, radiating somewhere near his left side. 

His head. It was _pounding_. 

His ankle. Oh, it was throbbing something fierce. 

His whole body. Still vibrating from the viscous kicks. 

But the pressure on his leg? Disappeared. So had the horrible stickiness from the blood and the cuts he could feel on his face. He was also no longer lying on his stomach... he'd moved? 

There was noise. A soothing and constant crackle of a fire which somehow drained away the breeze of the wind outside the cave.

The cave? Oh, right, yes. He'd passed out. 

Slowly, the Doctor began to open his eyes, his eyelids flickering as he tried to focus. The bright shine from the fire made it hard not to squint. A figure was perched on a stone not too far from where he lay. 

When he tried to move a groan escaped him. His body was stiff and every bruise was causing his skin to sting. 

The figure sat a few feet away quickly turned in his direction. 

"Spaceman..." 

Donna was by the Time Lord's side in a split second, kneeling beside his lanky figure with a hand reaching out to squeeze his arm ever so gently for reassurance. Their relationship never usually involved such comfort and intimacy but this whole ordeal had scared Donna silly, even if she would never admit it. Not to him, or anyone else. 

"It's okay, we're safe... for now, at least," Donna spoke softly. 

The Doctor's brown eyes fluttered shut as he tried yet again to move but with no luck. Another groan. 

"Give yourself a minute, you idiot, you've been out for a good hour or so," Donna added, removing her hand from his arm so she could move the coat she had placed over him away from his face. She was incredibly thankful she had chosen to wear a jumper with another layer underneath, otherwise her coat sacrifice may have placed her in just as much danger. The fire was at least giving off enough warmth in the cold space of the cave, despite the temperature outside. 

The Doctor finally found the strength to focus his eyes and he glanced up at Donna, looking slightly confused. 

"Since when do you know how to make a fire?" he asked, his voice weak but with the usual zest of confidence back in his tone. Donna gawped and raised her eyebrows, but even through the light insult, it was nice to hear him sounding a little less frozen and beaten. 

"Since an hour ago, alright?" she responded firmly, "you didn't give me much of a choice. It was either make a fire or let your skinny hide freeze so I hope you're glad I didn't choose the latter." 

"Well, I'm very glad," he replied, managing a half-smile.

"Good - how do you feel?" she asked, wanting to put some of her worry to rest. He still looked awful. She had wiped away as much blood as possible and covered him up, but his skin was still pale and his eyes looked tireder than they usually did. Even if Donna had known him for a while now, the _age_ haunting what should be youthful eyes still amazed her and confused her all at once. 

"Help me up?"

The Doctor was finally able to sit up somewhat, using the cave wall as a perch. Moving his ankle was difficult and his vision hazed but Donna was there to help him, trying to perch him up through the winces and small protests. Finally, he was upright and he blew out a few heavy breaths to clear his chest. 

"Have we been to the Candoni Galaxy yet?" 

Donna knew the Time Lord had been beaten hard but even his usual blabbering nonsense couldn't beat such a response to a rather simple question. 

"What do you mean have we been to the... the what, Calipso Galaxy? I asked how you were feeling now where our next stop off is, you prawn!" 

The Doctor swallowed and reached up to rub his eyes.

"No, we haven't been there, have we?" he said, "in the Candoni Galaxy there's these trees that produce a certain pollen and if you breathe in any of that pollen it knocks you out for hours and turns your skin to ice. When you wake up, you're body basically aches and joints can seize up... I've heard it's rather painful." 

"Cheery..." Donna huffed. 

The Doctor tried to chuckle but it turned into another harsh wince. 

"Well... that's how I feel," he added softly.

Donna couldn't help but smile. She was so glad he was alive... even with the three hour break from his constant rambles, but she discovered it was _very_ easy to miss them.

"How... how did you get me out of there?" the Doctor asked, having already firmly noticed he wasn't pinned under tonnes of heavy rocks anymore. Donna moved back to the fire to throw a few more of the sticks she had collected on her little ten minute wood hunt. Leaving the Doctor in the cave, alone, had been twice as nerve-wracking for her than the thought of freezing outside.

"Well, lemme tell you, Spaceman - I waved my magic wand and all the rocks sang a little song and ran off," Donna stated with a sarcastic smile which then turned to a more humble one, "what do you think - it took a good twenty minutes of playing 'guess which rock to move correctly so I don't bring down the rest of the cave and crush us both', but I did it eventually." 

They weren't small rocks, by any means. They were boulders - heavy blocks of solid stone. Yet, Donna found adrenaline made a pretty good strength booster for moving the rocks when her best friend was laying passed out under a load of them. Moving them had been hard but she'd got there in the end. 

Just like with the wood, the fire, using snow to clean away excess blood. Everything. 

"To be honest, you were more of a dead weight than the rocks - you sure you don't hide bricks in that suit of yours?" she asked. 

The Doctor chuckled but he was somewhat in awe. Everything Donna had done in the past hour had, undoubtedly, saved him from regenerating. He watched her closely as she finished stocking up the fire and then wander back over to him where she began to adjust the coat around his thin frame. 

"You saved my life," the Doctor said. 

"Of course I did! As much as I wanted to smack you for leaving me behind with Smurfs that suffer from anger management issues... yes, I saved your life, Spaceman, because you we're bloody dying," she growled. The Doctor's hearts burdened with guilt as he took the brunt end of her anger without arguing. Instead of saying another word, he leaned forwards with some difficulty, but then raised his arms to wrap them around Donna. 

Not once had he ever invited her in for a hug like this. Nor had she ever asked for one. 

But Donna wrapped her arms around him quicker than he could have anticipated. 

"I thought you were dead," she admitted, "when I came in here and saw you _lying_ like that I thought... God, you're such a idiot." 

"Nah, not me," the Doctor assured lightly, "never me. Got too much stuff to do before I pop my clogs, ey?"

Donna wanted to continue berating him for going out on his own and leaving her behind. She'd had a solid hour to think over the exact terms and expletives... but as she was hugging him, feeling every shake and wince, it just didn't seem worth it. He was already injured - adding anything to top his already sore body didn't seem right to Donna. There would be another time for a slap, oh, because did she know that _cocky_ alien deserved one now and again.

Not now. 

"Thank you, Donna... really, thank you," the Doctor said as he pulled back, resting against the stone wall once more with a deep sigh. Donna smiled softly in return. 

"No need to thank me. You can thank me once we get you back to the TARDIS or once we're on our way to some five-star outer space Spa," she answered. The Doctor glanced towards the cave exit, noticing the darkness and the snowfall. He sniffed - it was late. Even if the TARDIS was close, he didn't know if he would be able to make it. 

"I'll be right as rain soon - well, the rest of me will, not sure about the ankle. Might need to have another nap to sort that out," he admitted. 

"How did you even end up under all that?" Donna asked. 

"Too slow," he replied back, simply and with a solemn gaze at his thin leg. 

"You? Too slow?" Donna repeated, guessing she didn't need to ask any further questions - the ignorant natives had already answered most of her questions without her even having to ask, "I bet those alien Chuck Norris wannabees left you for dead, hm?" 

The Doctor shrugged. "I suppose you could say that... remind me not to leave you behind again. You would have been the first one to push me outside," he stated with a half-smile. 

"Too right, Spaceman," Donna replied, glancing to the cave entrance and then back to the Doctor, settling down near him on the rock she had chosen to perch on earlier. For someone who hated camping, she had to admit the whole ordeal may have been relaxing if it hadn't been for the murderous alien tribes and finding the Doctor limp. 

"How long is the night here?" she asked. 

"Not too long... another two hours at most, then we can head back to the TARDIS - here, have your coat back," the Doctor insisted, trying to lift the heavy garment from himself to pass to Donna upon realising she wasn't wearing it. But Donna shook her head. 

"No, you need it more than I do - I'll keep the fire going and you can do that weird Time Lord-y thing where you sleep off your injuries and bounce back up like nothing happened, you're eyes are already drooping again," Donna stated firmly, pushing the coat back towards the Doctor. 

"Donna-" 

"I said no, you prawn! Now put it back over your skinny backside before you freeze, there's only so much my fire can do," she argued. 

The Doctor reluctantly let the coat sag against him once more. He wouldn't admit it but it was _cosy_. He never usually needed warmth nor cold to keep his temperature balanced but the last few hours had taken a toll. Shivering on the cold cave floor for a few hours unable to move had seen to that. 

Watching the fire was somewhat calming and... that wasn't tiredness again, was it? She had just said his eyes were drooping.

He didn't want to leave Donna alone in the cave by falling asleep, but the only guaranteed way of getting himself back to the TARDIS in the next few hours was to sleep. His brown eyes turned to look at his friend sat near him, smiling ever so lightly before he let his eyes slide shut.

"This is the probably the quietest you've ever been," Donna said after a few moments of listening to the crackling fire. No reply. 

She turned to the Doctor. His head had lolled backwards and his eyes were shut, his whole body sagged underneath her coat. 

She smiled. 

"I'll always save you, remember that, you idiot."

**Author's Note:**

> When will I ever stop loving these two absolute dorks? Probably never ever ever EVER. 
> 
> Chapter 2 coming soon!


End file.
